I'm trying to up my finishing game on cabinets, trim and built-ins. Preferably, I want something that is durable, great finish and low odor. Easy to spray would be an added bonus. What are the products and you use for finishing? If you use different ones, when do you decide on one versus the other?
I have used a variety of products over the years. Most recently, Sherwin Williams Pro Classic (brush/roller) for some built in shelves and trim. I really like how it levels out and might consider spraying it at some point. I'm not sure about the long term durability of the Pro Classic versus other finishes. I also just sprayed a bathroom vanity with Sherwin Williams Sher-Wood pre-cat laquer. I loved spraying the stuff and the finish, but did not like the fumes (fortunately it was not sprayed at a clients house).
In terms of equipment, I have a variety of compressor driven HVLP guns, a Titan 440ix airless, and an old 2-stage Campbell Hausfeld turbine. I'm considering upgrading the turbine to a 4 or 5 stage (thinking Fuji Q4 or Q5) for use onsite. I don't think Air Assisted Airless is right for me as my cabinet projects are less frequent and smaller scale. Recommendations on the HVLP turbine?
Check out Target Coatings, based out of NJ--owner/chemist Jeff Weiss knows his products, because he developed them.
Have distributors all over the states.
Sherwin Williams Kem Aqua is what we use. It is a waterbourne and you can spray it without a proper booth. I do have a makeshift setup in the shop which does more than nothing but certainly not a legit booth.
I have looked at Target coatings in the past. Unfortunately, I don't think there is a distributor near me so I would have to order direct. Not that I'm opposed to shipping, but something local would be much easier.
Curious on what makes the Emerald Urethane better than the ProClassic?
I have seen the Kem Aqua mentioned previously. So this is basically a water-borne version of their pre-cat laquer?
It's been awhile since I have really looked into paint/coating technology. Is there a good resource to get up to speed on the different products / technologies offered?
I assume you are buying the SW products through their industrial division? My local store doesn't really have a clue unless it goes on drywall. How's the lead time on the waterborne color match? If I recall, the pre cat lacquer took almost a week to mix.
I do a handfull of kitchens a year with Emerald Urethane. Good results and does dry fast. Sheen is on the flat side. We use semi gloss for a satin look.
I've sprayed emerald Urethane out of an hvlp, graco 9.5/ Plus gun, and was very happy with the results. I'll be doing it again in a week or so.
Price wise, emerald Urethane is only a couple bucks more per gallon than pro classic alkyd.
I had issues spraying PC alkyd, but I was also learning how to spray at the same time. When I have some time I might revisit it. I was not a fan of how long it took to dry/ harden (Tom did warn me about that though)
ML campbell precat is really easy to get good, high quality results with. On small jobs, we spray it from a gravity feed cup gun. But like LEO said, it's not something you wanna spray in someones house.
I wouldn't use it in a bathroom or the wet areas of a kitchen. It just doesn't have the lasting power. I used it for a decade and about that time I started seeing water failures. I had moved onto MagnaKlear by then and they changed the formula and it would randomly wrinkle on me. Then I changed to Krystal, which is a 2 part conversion varnish, and that seems to hold up to the water areas much better.
The best thing about the precats is very little waste. You can pour it back into the can and reuse it at a later time. The CV has an 8 hour pot life and after that it gets tossed.
Not saying you're wrong, but my sales rep is actually a finisher first. His dad owns a large cabinet shop in Kansas City & he used to run his finish dept. So he's not your average book knowledge salesman. As for warranty, if my clients call me with finish failure, I'll take care of them.
I use BIN shallac Primer, 2 coats, sanding between coats.
Then I use a product you can buy from Kelly Moore, its called Rustoleum Sierra Performance Beyond Acrylic Enamel. I use HVLP sprayer. it works like a charm, dries in 30 min, recoat in an hour. its used in commercial cafeterias so it holds up real well in high traffic areas. I've used breakthrough through ppg and have had call backs for touch up, I've never had a call back from the Sierra Performance. Im in California so its low VOC. its the BIN Shallac Primer that is stinky
If the Breakthrough was V-50, they put out an advisory not to use it on cabinets and hand rails any more.
I had to reshoot 1/3 (20 gallons) of a cabinet fabrication due to Breakthrough not holding up. Good thing I found out before I finished the entire job.
Thanks for the reco on the S/W Kem Aqua Plus. It sprayed out real nice and seems really durable. I loved being able to sand & recoat every 20-30 minutes. My cabinet was primed and finished in a couple of hours!
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